Source: Dr. Andrews suggests that Gronkowski not play on Sunday

Week Six has arrived for the Patriots, and the verdict has arrived for tight end Rob Gronkowski.

Per a league source, Dr. James Andrews has recommended that Gronkowski not play.

Earlier in the week, Gronkowski was optimistic that he’d get clearance. The failure to get medical permission to return to action with a forearm that was broken twice and invaded in the offseason by infection through six weeks of the regular season raises an obvious question — when will clearance come?

Gronkowski will miss the minimum number of games he would have missed if he has remained on the physically unable to perform list. However, he has been able to practice during the past six weeks, and New England’s opponents have been forced to prepare to face him.

Still, as Tom Curran of CSN New England explained during Friday’s PFT Live, the lingering inconsistency between Gronkowski being able to practice but not play is creating frustration for his teammates. Curran believes that one of the frustrated teammates is the one responsible for throwing the football to Gronkowski and other receivers.

The Patriots have three more games until their bye week — at the Jets, and at home against the Dolphins and Steelers.

The difference between being cleared to practice and being cleared to play are two VERY different things. In practice, an injured player can easily wear a red jersey (or whatever color they have for protected players) without fear of further injury. The defense also isnt going to go after the injured area.

I dont think defenses are going to lose sleep either, until Gronk proves he has returned to form. Even then, you can bet that arm is going to have a target on it.

That being said, if it was any other team, the media would be saying that the coach should have left him on the PUP list to keep another player on the roster.

At what point are we going to stop giving Belichick and the Patriots a pass every time they screw up?

I’m fine with this. There’s no need to put his career at risk by rushing him back. There’s no doubt the Patriots need him now, but they’ll also need him later. In the mean time, they’ll have to win the old fashioned way- defense and small ball.

Glad to see a team turn to an independent opinion for once. That’s how it should be.

Honestly if the Patriots had squeaked by last week (perhaps gone for the TD instead of FG), take a loss tomorrow, the schedule is very manageable even w/o Gronk
They could go into the bye week 8-1
And would be totally ok to wait to bring Gronk back after the bye, fantasy numbers and stats be damned.

Patriots are on there last breath. They started a trend with having two big time tight ends. There now down to no tight ends. The Patriots are always in the hunt, slowly each year Brady gets older it slips and he probably won’t win another one again. The Patriots best year was when they had Moss for his last productive year. I find it offensive as a Michigan fan that they never tried harder to put quality wide receivers around Brady. Could’ve dominated the NFL if they got Brady some elite wr’s. Too late now.

Pats fan here, you know where this is headed? IR. I am no doctor but the fact this arm has had too many surgeries and he still has not been cleared is suspect at best. Maybe Gronk should have taken his recovery more serious during the off season, people are pointing fingers at the pats when the injured player still whooped it up and did not rehab correctly in the months where recovery was important!

If He hasn’t been cleared to play now , when will he ever get back on the field. Most broken bones take up to 5 months to heal and its been well past 5 months. I think they’re being to cautious which could actually harm Gronkowski’s play on the field. I can understand why they’re being so careful what with him re-injuring his forearm vs the Texans in the playoffs, but I am really starting to doubt whether Gronk will ever be the same.

Just get it over with already and amputate the useless fore arm and replace it with a digital prostectic Boston Arm .Gronk can still and and the fingers can move and he can catch the ball. If they did this a year ago he would be playing now. Fred Arbanas played TE for the KC Chiefs with one eye.

if he’s iffy, leave him off till after the bye-week. I don’t know that we need him for those three games after the Saints. Against the Saints would be nice, give us a chance to get our Offense going, but even still, I’m not sure we could pull a win off. I’m hoping, but really am preparing myself for the loss.

I can see us beating the Jets/Dolphins/Steelers, especially with the last two at home, so we would go into the bye 7-2, which is pretty good considering our Offensive troubles this year.

This gives Gronk another month to get himself healthied up while still practicing with the team during the week. Less possibility of re-aggravation, more likely to help with the late season playoff run and hopefully deep into the playoffs.

It was his suggestion. Haven’t other drs told him he’s clear? Not for nothin, but if Andrews agreed with the team docs then in the future wouldn’t players and coaches be less likely to bring him in? And who appointed this guy lord and savior of all those injured? What is his specialty?

Gronk has been hobbled the last couple years at the end of the season and into the post season. I’d rather him just sit down for a bit and get his mind right to go into a game. If he’s not comfortable playing, then the last place he needs to be is on the field.

It’s tough watching this offense (or lack thereof) and understand fans’ frustration, but I’m choosing to think big picture. The Pats are always a work in progress through the season…the more they scratch and claw early on, the better they’ll be later in the season. I’d rather have a healthy Gronk at the end of the season than the beginning of.